Another Round of Applause for the School of Arts and Sciences
On Friday, May 15, 2026, the Irwin Auditorium at LAU’s Beirut campus was once more filled to capacity as the SoAS community came together to honor its high achievers in research, teaching, service, and leadership.
In light of the recent conflict that threatened to disrupt the semester, this year’s celebration also served as an affirmation of the school’s steady contributions to knowledge and future generations.
“It’s been a year of living between truces,” said SoAS Dean Haidar Harmanani, setting the tone for the ceremony. “This day,” he declared, “is about people. Because that is what a university is, when you strip away everything else—not buildings, not rankings, not accreditation reports: People.”
Praising the “unwavering commitment” of the faculty and staff, he thanked them for “showing up every day to empower generations of students to reach their full potential.”
Associate Professor and Chair of the Biological Sciences Department Sama Sleiman expressed her gratitude to those in attendance for taking part in this significant milestone in SoAS’ history, both as an audience and as active contributors to the school’s success.
For Dr. Sleiman, the event, which she emceed and helped organize, was “not merely a celebration of individual achievement, but of the ecosystem of mentorship and institutional support that embodies the school’s educational mission.”
As befits an institution of high learning of LAU’s caliber, research took a leading role in the awards, with Assistant Professor of Computer Science Rachad Atat, one of the field’s most high-impact researchers with over 1,000 citations to his name, being honored for his exceptional track record.
Other faculty were also ushered onto the stage to warm applause from their colleagues. Associate Professor of Chemistry Robin Taleb and Senior Instructor and Academic English Sequence Program Coordinator Mona Shahine were recognized for their distinguished service to their programs and to the school at large. Each in turn shared what their years at the school meant for them, and how grateful they were to be part of this academic family.
The role of faculty as educators took pride of place, with Senior Instructor of Chemistry Ghada El Zakhem Naous being honored for her innovative and experiential approach to teaching. Recognition extended to those who work behind the scenes to make teaching possible: Senior Chemistry Lab Supervisor Rana El Ghorayeb received an award for her outstanding service in maintaining laboratories and supporting generations of students.
Ever proud of its alumni and their accomplishments long after they have graduated, SoAS celebrated those who have excelled in their respective industries. Awardees included Dr. Amal Sahyoun (BS ’13), assistant professor of Nutrition at Lincoln Memorial University; Aref Boualwan (BS ’95), vice president of Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC); Salim Faroukh (BS ’99), president and founder of Domain 6 Inc.; Maya Hojeij (BA ’99), senior anchor at Asharq with Bloomberg; and Rima Maktabi (BA ’00), London bureau chief at Al Arabiya News.
Upon accepting the award, each alum looked back nostalgically at their formative years at LAU, fondly recalling happier times in Beirut. The university had “opened new horizons” for the young students they once were, allowing them “to take on the world with the confidence [they] had gained within its walls.” Reflecting on how far their journeys have taken them, they paid tribute to the school’s continuity in fulfilling its century-old pledge despite constant upheavals, declaring: “We are here to stay.”
It was an emotional moment charged with memories of their student days and their enduring loyalty to the alma mater and the school that had shaped their lives. A moment that was heightened by the remarkable achievements of current students under less favorable, if not extraordinary, circumstances.
Nearly 60 students were recognized for authoring or contributing to highly cited papers, with more than a dozen receiving multiple awards. These included the Elie Rizk Research Excellence Awards, which track research achievements by publication impact, and the Departmental Awards, namely the Department of Computer and Mathematics’ Habre Award for Excellence in Mathematics and the Department of Biological Sciences’ Student Engagement Award. The winning students’ outstanding efforts and bright dispositions offered an inspiring glimpse into a future shaped by talented and driven individuals.
The Third Award Ceremony concluded in the same spirit in which it was conceived, with everyone standing shoulder to shoulder on stage, an interconnected group of people bound by the same history and vision. It was a collective triumph against the odds for the spirit of excellence, curiosity, and creativity that defines SoAS.